I asked God for the city and He gave me a bus stop

As ministers most of us pray, "God, give us the city...," and we can cite Scriptural references for that prayer. And then we go about our daily routines often times missing God's response to our prayer. I've been praying that prayer too in our work as Urban Missionaries, dreaming visions of grandeur of God giving us the city. But to be honestly, I had no clue what "give me the city" meant, but it's how we pray. And so, I say that prayer every day. And then God went and did what He loves to do, He confronted me with His Word. Jesus said, "Do you not say, "There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest." (John 4:35 NASB)

I know that Jesus, that's why we're here. Now, just lead me to those fields and I'll start harvesting. And His response? Why would I give you other fields when you are not tending to the one right in front of you?

Huh?

Let me give you some context. As part of our initial ministry at Mission: Go Detroit we have opened a martial arts school, Lion's Roar Extreme Martial Arts. In His wisdom God has landed us on a prominent corner of a busy intersection in our community. Thousands of cars and pedestrians pass by every day. And right outside our front door is a bus stop, a harvest field. Daily, hundreds of people get on and off the bus right in front of us, and do you know how we have been ministering to them? Yeah, I've had to ask for forgiveness because I've neglected the field God has given me. All of a sudden God's words hit home, "why would I give you other fields when you are not tending to the one right in front of you?" Ouch!

And, God worked through my daughter Cori to bring it home all the more. Cori is an artist and she has been painting advertising on our store front windows. Last night it was hot, especially by Detroit standards and while she was painting a lady was waiting at the bus stop. As her and Cori carried on casual conversation the lady mentioned her back her. So Cori gave her a chair and a cold bottle of water, you know, that whoever gives a cold drink of water to one of the least of these does it to Me as well thing Jesus taught? (Matthew 25:35)

Then the Holy Spirit continued His conversation with me about the harvest fields. He lead me back to a journal entry from about a month ago. I was asking the Lord what to do with some poorly utilized space in our building? Ironically, the bus stop is right outside the door. I felt the crazy impression to use it as a gathering place with a place to fellowship, with coffee and water, Christian books, etc. How crazy I thought. So I just kind of let that sit. Hmm, the harvest field. But then human reasoning kicked in. But God, we have children that pass through that area for classes, and we don't know who might be in there. I'm a little fearful. And wouldn't you know, the Holy Spirit checked me and said I needed to ask Him to sanctify that fear into boldness because "perfect love cast out all fear." (1 John 4:18) Then He reminded me that we are a martial arts school. At any given time the place is full of people being trained in martial arts and during the time the kids are there Big John is always in the building. Big John is a nickname that fits him well. And what a better way to teach our students of the love of God. The dojo (school) might be the safest place in town while open.

So, Lord, forgive me for not caring for the harvest field right outside our door. Thank you for giving us the city in the form of a bus stop.

Has God already answered your prayer for the harvest fields? Stop, and take another look around. You might be surprised at what He has already given you.

Look for the back door!

Shawn

Living "IN" Uncertainty

un·cer·tain·ty

ˌənˈsərtn(t)ē/

noun

• the state of being uncertain.

1. "times of uncertainty and danger"

   synonyms:

   unpredictability, unreliability, riskiness, chanciness, precariousness, changeability, variability, inconstancy, fickleness, caprice

• something that is uncertain or that causes one to feel uncertain.

plural noun: uncertainties

"financial uncertainties"

synonyms:

doubt, qualm, misgiving, apprehension, quandary, reservation, scruple, second thought, query, question, question mark, suspicion "she pushed the anxious uncertainties out of her mind"

1. I think there is a difference between living "with" a sense of uncertainty and living "IN" uncertainty. "With" indicates that someone or something accompanies another person or thing, like a baked potato accompanies a steak. For some, uncertainty accompanies life. "IN" on the other hand designates a location, a place of belonging. They live in...
2. It may seem subtle and arguable to some, but understanding the difference between living "with" something and living "in" something has made all the difference for me. It's helped me embrace uncertainty as a place in which we live, at least for now. 
3. To live "with" something means often that I know the costs involved. For instance, my wife Rochelle lives "with" a big picture, but not so much detailed person. Rochelle knows the costs associated with this and chooses to love me and live "with" me despite them. My friend Al says that I don't like to get into the weeds of the project and he's right. But to live "in" something is different as the costs can change daily, often costing everything. I don't always get to choose the uncertainty I'm living "in." It just comes as part of the life we live in. 
4. Many of the people we get to live life with live "IN" uncertainty. Detroit is still a fragile environment in many ways, including the economy. Many of our neighbors live "IN" a state of changing uncertainty every day. I know many would prefer to be able to live "with" the uncertainty as it might provide a bit a stability in knowing what the uncertainty entails, but their lives change daily as do the uncertain struggles. They just live "IN" this place of uncertainty.
5. In many ways this last year has been a place of uncertainty. Living "IN" uncertainty as to mission and purpose, and even if we're doing anything of value for the Kingdom and others. But embracing this place, this location of "IN" uncertainty has brought peace. God doesn't always lay out all the details. Sometimes it's just a big picture (sometimes just a snapshot) of His plans. I think this living "IN" uncertainty creates a new sense of reliance on Him as the only stable thing in your life.

It's uncomfortable, I get it. Someday's it's just flat our hellacious. I trust God that this too shall pass... someday. But for now this is where He has placed me...and maybe you(?). The place He has providentially put me (you) "IN." It may be uncomfortable, this place of uncertainty, but, at least where we live, it is more of a reality then any sense of normalcy. So I'm choosing this uncomfortable place of uncertainty, because as Voltaire said, "certainty is absurd."

So, can I challenge you today to stop begrudging the place or thing of uncertainty you're living "with," and choose to trust God and to learn to live "IN" this place knowing all things are under His orchestration.  Now, enjoy the place you're "IN" and go knock on someone's backdoor. They might just invite you in. Shawn

Mission Statements; Vision Statements; Purpose Statements; Stop the madness...How About Just "Being True To Your Life Mission"

Over the years I've had the privilege, and frustration, of helping carve out mission statements and vision statements for colleges, non-profits, and churches. Many of you have too as for many years these were the primary focus of the business world.

We wrestled through our identity; our calling; our clientele; how long it should be or how short it should be; the difference between mission and vision; and on and on... And in too many cases watched those skillfully crafted documents go up on a shelf until the next push for mission and vision statements came along, usually with new leadership.

But many years ago I worked through an exercise in discovering God's mission or purpose for my life and since then I've tried to keep that in focus (yes, believe it or not I've actually tried to live by it). Simply stated, I believe my Life Mission is "To Live A Transformed Life That Leads To Transformed Lives." One year ago God's call lead us to the City of Detroit with the mission of "Transforming A City That Transformed The World." Looking back it's evident how God was making preparations in my own life then for the place of service He has us in now.

But now I have to be honest and transparent. This past year we have been pulled in multiple different directions trying to be true to God's call and measuring up to mainly preconceived ideas of what we should be doing. In all of that I somewhere along the way sat down God's mission for my life and picked up man's mission for my life (at least the one I thought I needed to write). How frustrating it is to live outside of God's Life Mission in lieu of your own life mission.

But this last week we were traveling to Florida to perform a wedding for a great young couple. As we drove we listened to some leadership podcasts for a business that we're part of. Guess what came up? You betcha, personal life mission statements and core values.

Rochelle asked if I had ever developed my own Life Mission Statement and list of core values. I immediately said "yes," and then fell under a strong conviction that if Rochelle had to ask then I haven't been living them well enough. Over the next several days God and I continued a conversation about returning to the Life Mission He gave and the core values that empower that Life Mission. For me they are:
  Lead by example
  Accept others without trying to change them
  Understand others before trying to be understood by others
  Give more than I get
  Help others find success in life
  Teach
  Edify God and others
  Reflective, prayer based living

These core values remind me to LAUGH, because I tend to live life with an intensity that can drain me I need my core values to remind me to spend time in laughter (ask Rochelle or those who know me well and they'll agree that this is hard for me, but I know I need to focus on it for my own good and those around me).

So I re-engaged my Life Mission and committed to living a truly transformed life in order to lead others to finding life transformation; first in Christ, and then in other areas of their lives. After all, Jesus is in the life transformation business and calls us to be about His work.

If you really want to make Kingdom impact, whether in a large city in need of Jesus life transformation, or in the rural areas with the same need for Jesus, discover your own Life Mission in Christ and commit to living it out daily. Outside of His Life Mission we live in frustration. But inside of it we live in victory and joy.

Now, go knock on someones backdoor of life and live out Jesus Life and love.

Shawn